5 ms·

> “They don’t really want us to use it, but it’s OK if you do.” Ms. [redacted] said that when a bike is available at the train station she rides it 10 minutes t

> “They don’t really want us to use it, but it’s OK if you do.” Ms. [redacted] said that when a bike is available at the train station she rides it 10 minutes to her house, and then keeps it overnight behind her gate. The next morning, she rides it back to the station, where she catches the train to her job at Google rival Oracle Corp. “You know, I rent it for a day.” This seems like theft? Edit: I removed the lady's name from the comment

suh_dude 9y ago
that is theft, right?...
s0rce 9y ago
If you ride a bike to the train station everyday and you store it at home overnight doesn't it make sense to get your own bike? I guess if you can just steal one maybe not?
- spiznnx 9y ago
  No, because caltrain bike lockers at the station cost money (~$70/yr). I take my bike on the train to get to work at the other end, but if I worked close to the train station in SF I'd walk from my house rather than pay for a bike locker or leave my bike in the open during the day.
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    You can always lock the bike outside of a locker. Just remember to lock your front wheel and back...and protect your seat :(. The bikes google are using aren’t that high end, a low end bike with bolted everything could probably survive out in the open for a day without much problem.
cantrip 9y ago
I don't think redacting her name is necessary. Ms. Veach's full name, place of employment, and picture appear in the article. Is it theft? Probably by the definition of the law. But it's also a bit nebulous in practice and expected repercussions. I personally have pirated movies, jay walked, and danced at a bar in NYC, and would be perfectly fine with a news article quoting me admitting as much. Is it illegal for Uber to skirt taxi laws? Is it illegal for AirBnb to ignore hotel laws? Probably. But no one is going to stop them and no one is going to stop Ms. Veach from borrowing a bike left in public.
- shazzy 9y ago
  Interestingly (in the UK) theft requires that the perpetrator have the intention of "permanently depriving" [1] the owner. So at least in the UK this seems like it wouldn't be counted as theft. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/definition-of-theft https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/de...
  - bspn 9y ago
    Probably not theft, but I think it would qualify as criminal conversion. Google would likely need to complain though for the authorities to do anything about it, and I can't see them doing that.
  - icebraining 9y ago
    Case law seems to confirm that: http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/R-v-Lloyd,-Bhuee--and--Ali.php http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/R-v-Lloyd,-Bhuee--and--Ali.p...
- sincerely 9y ago
  is dancing illegal in NYC?
guiomie 9y ago
You can see her in a picture smiling next to a bike with her full name captioned under it. https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-WV984_0104GO_P_20180104180911.jpg https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-WV984_0104GO_P...

suh_dude 9y ago

that is theft, right?...

s0rce 9y ago

If you ride a bike to the train station everyday and you store it at home overnight doesn't it make sense to get your own bike? I guess if you can just steal one maybe not?

spiznnx 9y ago
No, because caltrain bike lockers at the station cost money (~$70/yr). I take my bike on the train to get to work at the other end, but if I worked close to the train station in SF I'd walk from my house rather than pay for a bike locker or leave my bike in the open during the day.
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  You can always lock the bike outside of a locker. Just remember to lock your front wheel and back...and protect your seat :(. The bikes google are using aren’t that high end, a low end bike with bolted everything could probably survive out in the open for a day without much problem.

cantrip 9y ago

I don't think redacting her name is necessary. Ms. Veach's full name, place of employment, and picture appear in the article. Is it theft? Probably by the definition of the law. But it's also a bit nebulous in practice and expected repercussions. I personally have pirated movies, jay walked, and danced at a bar in NYC, and would be perfectly fine with a news article quoting me admitting as much. Is it illegal for Uber to skirt taxi laws? Is it illegal for AirBnb to ignore hotel laws? Probably. But no one is going to stop them and no one is going to stop Ms. Veach from borrowing a bike left in public.

shazzy 9y ago
Interestingly (in the UK) theft requires that the perpetrator have the intention of "permanently depriving" [1] the owner. So at least in the UK this seems like it wouldn't be counted as theft. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/definition-of-theft https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/de...
- bspn 9y ago
  Probably not theft, but I think it would qualify as criminal conversion. Google would likely need to complain though for the authorities to do anything about it, and I can't see them doing that.
- icebraining 9y ago
  Case law seems to confirm that: http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/R-v-Lloyd,-Bhuee--and--Ali.php http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk/R-v-Lloyd,-Bhuee--and--Ali.p...
sincerely 9y ago
is dancing illegal in NYC?

guiomie 9y ago

You can see her in a picture smiling next to a bike with her full name captioned under it. https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-WV984_0104GO_P_20180104180911.jpg https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-WV984_0104GO_P...